James Jay Walker pressed his face against the cold bars of his window cell. Through it, he could see across the castle's courtyard. Through flitting lines of feet and robes, Jay caught a glimpse of the green-eyed boy.

The kid seemed scared. Jay couldn't see his expression from this distance- but the curve of his body language suggested nothing but terror.

Jay clung to the bars. The tips of his toes found barely-existent footing between the cracks on the wall. Everything ached with the effort of keeping himself in place, but Jay ignored it. He needed to see. His punishment would be to witness- just as before.

Just as always.

It had been his fault they'd been captured. If he'd paid more attention, if he'd brought the kid somewhere safe- if, if, if. But no. Of course not. Jay had been reckless and cocky, like always. Like he didn't (couldn't) learn from his mistakes.

Now, there would be blood on his hands.

Again.

(Like always)

Then- a shadow.

Jay spotted it before the crowd did. It slid down the tower, moving through the upright wall with ease. One by one, the guards the shadow passed collapsed. Dead? Jay couldn't tell, but the possibility made him feel cold. Only one thing in the world could manage something like that.

"Night Angel." Jay whispered. He pressed his face harder against the bars- a futile attempt for a better view.

He knew the stories. Everyone did. Stories of a walking shadow who could kill in the blink of an eye. Jay had never believed it, of course. Just old wives tales to keep him out of the streets after dark.

He could see now that he'd been wrong.

But- if it was the Night Angel, what were they doing here?

The shadow landed hard by the green-eyed kid. The executioner collapsed. Jay narrowed his eyes, desperate for details. He hated the way his eyes blurred the world at a distance now more than ever. He really needed to do something about that. Glass sometimes-

"Focus." Jay chided himself. "Oh. Oh, I get it. It's a rescue."

Good. So the little guy would be just fine. Still-

"A rescue. H-hey! Hey, friend! I saved you first, remember? Back in the forest? Hey!" Jay smacked his hand against the metal bars. His voice was nothing against the brewing commotion. Still- he tried. Nothing if not optimistic. "Moyd! You! Floyd? Just- Boy! Please! You're not really going to leave me here after we-"

Jay's feet slipped, and he fell back. He hit the ground hard. Pain blurred his vision with tears. He wiped them away with the back of his hand and scrambled back up to the window.

Gone.

The kid and the Night Angel were gone.

Jay sighed, and dropped back down. "Great. Now it really is just you and your shadow- you favorite companion, Jay."

You deserve this- you know that, don't you? His shadow pointed out. Karma.

"Zip it. I'm not having a conversation with myself. Least of all if I'm going to be rude about it."

It was true though. He did deserve this. He'd ruined lives before, and come out unscathed. All because he was a coward. Worst of all, one of the lives he'd ruined had been the life of the only girl he'd ever loved.

Light. Yes. Nya had been light. His light, and no one else's. She had a sharp tongue and an even sharper glare- but not for him. Never for him. She'd smiled at him. Comforted him. Given him a reason to believe things could be better. A rational sounding board for his insane ideas, a shoulder to lean on when darkness pressed against the corners of his eyes.

Soft black hair. Sweet brown eyes. Perfect, perfect lips. He missed them. He missed her.

He loved her.

At the thought, his shadow seemed to laugh.

Loved her? Is that why you ruined her life? Interesting.

"Oh, shut up!"

"No, you shut up!" Another prisoner shouted back at him from somewhere down the hall.

"Wasn't talking to you buddy!"

The prisoner shouted back a few choice words. Jay rolled his eyes.

He leaned against the wall, and slid to the floor. His hands fidgeted with the pockets of his clothes. He tugged at the buttons. He had to think. Had to think.

Jay couldn't stay here. Not when he still owed Nya the world. He had to find a way to fix the things he'd broken. Had to. Maybe she wouldn't forgive him, but that didn't matter. He only wanted her to be happy, even if the only way to ensure that was to keep out of her way for the rest of his life.

"Come on. Jay. Time to get out while everyone's still freaking out outside. Now or never. Right?" Jay said the words, soft enough to not be overheard. "We've got a princess to save, don't we?"

Yeah. Just make sure you don't lose your head as you try to slip out. Distracted guards don't mean blind guard.

"Positive thinking." Jay told himself. "It'll be fine."

He slid his hand over to a different pocket, and retrieved his lockpick. He'd never opened a lock while on the wrong side of it, but he was sure he could manage. Of course he could manage. Jay was good. Real good. Maybe even the best. He doubted anyone else had ever snuck into, and stolen from, King Pythor's treasury.

Ah- the nunchucks. Best thing he'd ever stolen, really. He couldn't believe he'd lost them so quick. The thought of them made his palms itch. They'd felt so right in his hands. Almost like destiny.

As if. The only thing you're destined for is an early grave.

Jay paid himself no mind, and crawled over to the lock. He put the instruments in place, then closed his eyes. Focus. Focus. Jay could hear the mechanism as he shifted the picks around. Simple. Friendly. Welcoming, even, after the convoluted day he'd had.

He could picture the workings of it in his head with ease. Could imagine how it had been put together. Could imagine how to take it apart. But best of all, he could see how it could be unlocked.

Lift here. Hold back just so- and twist. The moves played out in his head, then his hands obeyed.

Click.

Success.

Jay smiled, then slid his tools back into a different pocket. He'd gotten lucky, he knew. Still, Jay couldn't help but be impressed by himself. He didn't need any legendary specter to come rescue him. Oh no. Jay could save himself just fine.

Now unlocked, the door swung open with a creak. The rust made everything louder than it should be. Jay cringed against as the sound moved down the hall, seeking its own freedom. Seconds passed- one, ten, twenty and . . . nothing. No guards, no shouts, even his fouled-mouthed friend from down the hall had nothing to say.

Jay let out a breath.

He crawled forward out of the cell and into the darkness. Little by little, he moved up to a crouch, then a walk. The shadows around him kept pace. He was no Night Angel sure, but he was swift enough. Jay slowed as he moved up the stairs that led out into the main hall.

"If the king hears you talking like that, it's going to be you next at the execution block." A gruff voice traveled down to meet Jay. He recognized it as one that belonged to the one-eyed guard that had dragged the kid out from their cell. "That what you're aiming for?"

"I don't- know. I don't care." Another voice. Still familiar. Jay inched closer to the top of the stairs, and peeked out into the hall.

Yes- Jay knew the man the voice belonged to. The jerk that had found them in the forest to begin with. He looked obnoxiously heroic against the palace's backdrop- handsome features and a strong build. A sharp contrast to Jay's gangly limbs.

"Ever since Garmadon disappeared this kingdom has only gotten worse. Beheading a child? I don't care that- if the Night Angel killed some of our own. I'm glad that kid is safe."

The one-eyed guard laughed. An unpleasant, somehow wet sound. "You've always been soft, Cole. Your talk of honor and chivalry could have gotten you far with Garmadon as king- but not anymore."

Cole said nothing. Jay bit his lip, and swayed on his feet. He felt the uncomfortable surge of adrenaline pulse inside him. The exit was right there. Problem was- the guards were right there too. And even with night falling, there weren't enough shadows in the hall to protect him.

"Besides- it wasn't just any child was it? You saw his eyes just as well as I did." The one-eyed guard sneered. "So the prince really was alive. And healthy enough, by the look of it. Happy to let us suffer it seemed."

"We don't know that." Cole said. "Besides- what do you want him to do? Snap his fingers and make everything better?"

"I want him to at least have the decency to not look like he's been living in luxury while we struggle every day."

"That's- that's exactly it, Ghorky, don't you see?" Ghorky? Jay fought back the urge to laugh. He supposed he might grow up to be cruel too, if he'd had a name like that. "Honest people are starving. Suffering. And that's not thanks to the kid- that's thanks to the king. This is not a good place. Isn't it our job to do something about it?"

"Go ahead then! Make your move. You be king." Ghorky said. "But me? I'm keeping my head down. I got a daughter to think about. And aren't you taking care of your father?"

Daughter!? Jay almost fell forward at the revelation. Nothing about the one-eyed man suggested anyone would ever love him enough to give him a child. Even then- nothing about the man suggested he'd even care about a child. The duality of man, Jay supposed.

"I'm not- I don't want to be king." Cole shook his head. Jay rolled his eyes at the guard's humble tone. He was beginning to take the man's heroic demeanor personally. "I'm not worthy of the crown."

Ghorky scoffed.

Jay moved a little closer. Both of the guards had very thick armor. That would slow them down. And the double handed sword at their sides- slower still. Ghorky had had a crossbow before, but Jay could no longer see it strapped to his back.

He could run for it.

He could make it.

Right?

Sure. Yeah.

"Listen-" Ghorky gave Cole's shoulder a harsh pat. "King Pythor keeps us fed. He keeps me and my daughter alive. If it wasn't for him, she would have starved with me in the warrens. And I owe him for that. I've met plenty of people like you, Cole. And you know where they all are? Dead and buried. So I suggest you accept this is just the way things are."

Jay felt a new wave of understanding at Ghorky's mention of the warrens. What wouldn't he have given, to be rescued from that place before it had turned him into what he was?

"Give up, then? Keep my head down?"

"Yeah. It's a good choice. We take what we can get, where we can get it. Then we die. That's life." Ghorky gave Cole another pat. "I'm only telling you this because my daughter likes you. I'd hate to have to explain to her why the guard who always shares his sweets with her is gone."

Cole said nothing. His eyes looked dazed now- troubled with unseen ghosts. Ghorky shrugged and yawned.

Now or never.

One.

Jay's body tensed. Oh, man. Those swords sure did look sharp.

Two.

The hall. It was getting longer. Either that, or he was seconds away from fainting.

Three!

Jay sprung out of the shadows, and shot his lean body forward, toward the exit.